The Rational Reminder Podcast
A weekly reality check on sensible investing and financial decision-making, from three Canadians. Hosted by Benjamin Felix, Cameron Passmore, and Dan Bortolotti, Portfolio Managers at PWL Capital.
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Equal Weight vs. Market Cap Weight Index Funds
<p >Equal-weighted index funds sound like an elegant solution to some of today's biggest investor anxieties: high market concentration, elevated valuations, and outsized influence from a handful of mega-cap stocks. In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson take a deep, evidence-based look at whether equal weighting actually improves portfolios—or simply introduces new risks under a different name. The discussion breaks down how equal-weighted indices differ fundamentally from traditional market-cap-weighted indexes, why equal weighting has historically outperformed in certain periods, and what's really driving those results beneath the surface. The team explains ho...
Engineering Financial Outcomes
<p >What if financial planning were approached the same way engineers design aircraft, medical treatments, or complex systems—with clearly defined objectives, constraints, and rigorous trade-off analysis? In this episode, Benjamin Felix is joined by Braden Warwick for a deep dive into what it means to engineer financial outcomes. Drawing on Braden's background as a PhD-trained mechanical engineer and his work building financial planning software at PWL Capital, the conversation reframes financial planning as a design problem rather than a speculative exercise. They explore the critical distinction between a financial plan and a financial projection, why uncertainty does not invalidate go...
The Rise of ETF Slop
<p >ETFs were once almost synonymous with low-cost, sensible investing. But that era is changing fast. In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson introduce and unpack the concept of "ETF slop"—the explosion of complex, high-fee, behaviorally engineered ETFs that are designed to attract assets rather than improve investor outcomes. The trio traces how ETFs evolved from simple index-building tools into wrappers for increasingly speculative strategies. They discuss how the ETF "halo effect" can mislead investors into equating structure with quality, and why innovation in financial products often benefits manufacturers more than end investors. From thematic hype to...
How Assumptions Shape Financial Planning Outcomes
<p >Financial planning is built on assumptions — about markets, inflation, longevity, human behaviour, and even the questions clients bring into the room. In this episode, Ben and Braden welcome a diverse panel that originally came together at the FP Canada Conference to explore how those assumptions influence planning outcomes in practice. Joining them are Adam Chapman, a retirement-focused planner who helps clients turn their money into memories; Joe Nunes, an actuary with decades of pension and longevity experience; and Aaron Theilade, Director of Continuing Education at FP Canada. Together, the panel unpacks how to make assumptions credible, how to stress-test th...
The "AI Bubble" and Stock Market Concentration
<p >In this first episode of 2026, we sit down for a deep dive into one of the hottest concerns coming from clients and listeners lately: Is the U.S. stock market dangerously concentrated—and are we in an AI bubble? Ben, Dan, and Ben unpack the data, the history, and the psychology behind today's valuations, drawing lessons from past episodes of market euphoria such as Nortel in Canada, the dot-com boom, and Japan's 1989 peak. They explain why high market valuations—not concentration—pose the bigger challenge, how bubbles historically fuel real economic innovation while hurting investors, and why diversification continues to off...
How the Rational Reminder Podcast is Made
<p >In this special year-end episode, Ben and Cameron turn the spotlight inward for a behind-the-scenes look at the Rational Reminder podcast. They're joined by the extended team that keeps the show running—from compliance to editing to marketing—to reflect on a landmark year in the podcast's evolution. We hear from Multimedia Specialist Matt Gambino, Compliance Reviewer Ross Brayton, long-time Marketing Lead Angelica Montagano, and others who share their roles, personal stories, and what the show means to them. Ben and Cameron also discuss the podcast's growth trajectory, the impact of joining OneDigital, standout market events from 2025, and what's ahea...
AMA #11 - Your Parents' Advisor, 100% Equity Portfolios, and Investing $10 Billion
<p >In this special year-end AMA, the full PWL crew — Ben Felix, Cameron Passmore, Ben Wilson, and Dan Bortolotti — sit down together for the first time on the podcast to reflect on the roller-coaster that was 2025 and to tackle a wide range of thoughtful listener questions. The episode begins with reflections on a year that included wild market swings, an extraordinary rally few predicted, major changes within PWL, and personal milestones. From there, the team dives deep into the psychology of staying invested, the real risks of inexperienced investors going 100% equities, the complexity of asset location and pre-tax vs. after-tax allo...
Lessons from The Wealthy Barber (2025)
<p >In this episode, the team digs into the newly updated 2025 edition of The Wealthy Barber — Dave Chilton's iconic Canadian personal finance book that helped shape millions of financial journeys. Ben, Dan, and Ben walk through the biggest lessons Dave has reworked for a world of high housing costs, social-media-fueled spending pressure, new tax-sheltered accounts, and the ever-present noise of investing advice. This discussion explores why the book remains so effective: it blends timeless principles with approachable storytelling, humor, and deeply practical guidance. The conversation also highlights Dave's real-world insights from reviewing thousands of personal financial situations across Canada. You'll he...
Is anyone doing dd? with Aravind Sithamparapillai
<p >What happens when alternative investments shift from niche products to the industry's go-to value proposition? In this episode, we're joined by financial planner and self-described "pathological nerd" Aravind Sithamparapillai for a rigorous exploration of private markets, product due diligence, advisor incentives, and the narratives driving the surging popularity of alts. Aravind has become known in advisor circles for asking the uncomfortable questions at conferences—the ones that expose gaps in explanations, shaky assumptions, and in some cases, outright contradictions. In this conversation, he shares the stories and analytical frameworks behind his deep dives into mortgage funds, private credit, private re...
A Case Study on Pension Benefits vs. Commuted Values
<p >In this episode, we feature two conversations that highlight PWL's culture, values, and intentional approach to advice. We first sit down with Trevor Daigle and Brett Watt, founders of EB Wealth in Halifax, to talk about why they chose to merge their thriving independent practice with PWL — PWL's first acquisition in Atlantic Canada. Trevor and Brett open up about what they saw in PWL's infrastructure, culture, and client-first philosophy, the internal hurdles they had to clear (including their own egos), and the moment they realized they "couldn't unsee" what PWL had built. Then, in the second half of the ep...
